Thank you, burdturgler, for sifting some positive police activity.

Yes, thank you.

I started to write something snarky, but deleted it.

The smiles on the faces of the police officers says it all. Serve and protect indeed.

POLICE BRUTALITY!! He totally grabbed her without her consent. Excessive force!

But well done. Cops are an integral part of a working society.

why would people gather around to watch someone off themselves ? and what selfish ass, she couldn't figure out a better way to do it than a swan dive into traffic. Some people.

"Certain death?" Think not.

Ya seriously, there was a pretty good chance she would of survived that fall only to live out her days disabled or worse.

>> ^messenger:

"Certain death?" Think not.

He saved her, and that's great. Really is.
But... isn't the word hero being thrown around rather lightly? Why was that heroic at all? His life was never in any danger, and to be honest, that was a really short fall for a suicide attempt.

>> ^messenger:

"Certain death?" Think not.


Only one way to find out. Take a 4 story dive into the pavement. Good luck. Don't forget to get it sifted.

>> ^EMPIRE:

He saved her, and that's great. Really is.
But... isn't the word hero being thrown around rather lightly? Why was that heroic at all?


I can't win with titles on the sift. I say a cop smashes a girls teeth out and I get called a liar because her teeth were only chipped out, not knocked out. A cop leaps forward and snatches a girl when she has half an inch of ass on the ledge of a 40 foot roof.. "hero" is too strong a word.

You say he saved her life and then ask why that's heroic in the same comment. Isn't that enough? What did you do today?

Saving someone's life IS great, and wonderful. It is not automatically heroic. That depends on how the life was saved. A guy who throws himself on a grenade to save the lifes of his comrades is heroic. A paramedic saving someone's life on a very normal situation, is not heroic at all. It should be respected, and valued, but it's not heroic. However, a paramedic trying to save someone shot, in a crossfire, is indeed a hero.

Basically, if your life was not in jeopardy (directly or indirectly) you're not a hero for saving someone's life.

edit: wait, that's not right actually. If there's no self-sacrifice involved, you're not a hero. It shouldn't need to be at the cost of your own life. Let's say someone who gives away absolutely everything they have to try and help others. That's a hero as well.

edit 2: Oh, and today I ate some donuts, so yeah, I'm a god damn hero!

@EMPIRE you don't think that the officer was at risk doing what he did?

Everybody defending the cop, have you considered that maybe the reason she was offing herself was because living in a police state is too depressing??

I mostly like the risk/sacrifice definition of "hero", but I think there's also an element of "saving a dire situation with a feat of excellence at a critical moment". It's like when Joe Carter hit his walk-off home run to end the 1993 World Series (heroic), as opposed to when he merely caught the ball in a routine play at 1st base to win the 1994 series (not heroic). That's the one that I feel applies here which unquestionably makes this guy a hero.>> ^burdturgler:

>> ^EMPIRE:
He saved her, and that's great. Really is.
But... isn't the word hero being thrown around rather lightly? Why was that heroic at all?

I can't win with titles on the sift. I say a cop smashes a girls teeth out and I get called a liar because her teeth were only chipped out, not knocked out. A cop leaps forward and snatches a girl when she has half an inch of ass on the ledge of a 40 foot roof.. "hero" is too strong a word.
You say he saved her life and then ask why that's heroic in the same comment. Isn't that enough? What did you do today?

IMHO, the reporter saying, "certain death" was sensationalist, exaggerating a bad enough situation to make his reporting sound even more relevant. Could we use a Mythbusters doll instead of my body? >> ^burdturgler:

>> ^messenger:
"Certain death?" Think not.

Only one way to find out. Take a 4 story dive into the pavement. Good luck. Don't forget to get it sifted.

I think a hero can be more than a dangerous situation or accomplishments..

The man who works his fingers to the bone for his children and still has time to throw them around in the air like superman (That's to you dad.)

The woman who looks to an abusive husband and says, "Fuck you, I don't need you." (That's to you Mrs. Lawdeedaw--when she did that to her previous husband.)

The little girl who returns the penny to the man who dropped it because his mother gives 'that nod' to her. Then the man who smiles at her, and gives her a dollar for the effort.

We have sensationized 'hero' so much that few people are heroes at all. The Soldiers fighting the wars? Mecenaries. The cops? Same. It is why you do something that vastly outweights what you do.

*Steps off soapbox.

>> ^messenger:
I mostly like the risk/sacrifice definition of "hero", but I think there's also an element of "saving a dire situation with a feat of excellence at a critical moment". It's like when Joe Carter hit his walk-off home run to end the 1993 World Series (heroic), as opposed to when he merely caught the ball in a routine play at 1st base to win the 1994 series (not heroic). That's the one that I feel applies here which unquestionably makes this guy a hero.>> ^burdturgler:
>> ^EMPIRE:
He saved her, and that's great. Really is.
But... isn't the word hero being thrown around rather lightly? Why was that heroic at all?

I can't win with titles on the sift. I say a cop smashes a girls teeth out and I get called a liar because her teeth were only chipped out, not knocked out. A cop leaps forward and snatches a girl when she has half an inch of ass on the ledge of a 40 foot roof.. "hero" is too strong a word.
You say he saved her life and then ask why that's heroic in the same comment. Isn't that enough? What did you do today?

what you didnt see is once they got her off the ledge they tasered her into submission =P

Most certainly not. Not in this particular case. The wall at the top of the building where the woman was sitting was pretty high, at least chest high for the cop, so he was never in any real danger.

Now, if the wall was shin high? Then yes, he could have easily fell over along with her.

Also, I love Lawdeedaw's definition of a hero. Someone's been watching too many Oprah reruns lately.

@EMPIRE frankly, I think you're being silly arguing semantics about a situation like this. The original video as titled with the word "Hero" in it. @burdturgler used pretty much the same title in his video. Your personal definition of the word "Hero" is irrelevant.

It's a non-issue, but this kind of bullshit debate is what the internet has become. Carry on.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think burdturgler was wrong in using that title, as it is clearly the title of the original video. I was merely commenting on the true significance of the word.

>> ^EMPIRE:

Don't get me wrong. I don't think burdturgler was wrong in using that title, as it is clearly the title of the original video. I was merely commenting on the true significance of the word.


True to you, but when did you become the master and creator of the English language?

We're not talking about giving him the Medal of Honor. "Just" saving someone's life is heroic enough.

geez man. I never became the master and creator of the english language (english isn't even my native tongue). That doesn't mean someone can't make a comment about a word, its use and significance.
I'm not a language nazi.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero

"Later, hero (male) and heroine (female) came to refer to characters who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self sacrifice—that is, heroism—for some greater good of all humanity. This definition originally referred to martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence."

I like how they're like, "LEAPT from the rooftop... cops grabbed her IN MID-AIR..." Okay sensationalize it a bit more, would you? She was sitting down, trying to minimalize the damage, rather than straight up jumping which could actually cause death. She's a fucking attention whore and she wanted people to notice her and feel bad about her. Then the only reason she did ANYTHING was because the cop was right there and she knew she'd be caught. She fucking pussied out.

She sure as hell didn't make a real concerted effort. Probably the story of her life. It's a pattern in her loser life to never really follow through with anything. Fucking pussy. That's why she lost her job, and her boyfriend dumped her because she's a stupid lazy bitch who will never make anything of her life because she's afraid to take chances. Shoulda let her stupid ass jump. At least then she would have accomplished something! Hell, it could even have been seen as compassionate, because now she has to live out the rest of her pathetic ass life knowing she couldn't even follow through and kill herself right.

Dumb bitch.


</troll>

If she truly wanted to commit suicide, she would have been dead before the cops ever showed. Like most attempts, it was a cry for help/attention.

Well, I'm impressed. A cop obviously did good, and people didn't [seriously] try to condemn him in any way, and this was definitely promoted as a cop video. Go videosift, go =P. It's not just full of people giving the same knee-jerk reaction to a standard stimulus.

I'm curious if there would have been any different reaction if it were just some random person/good samaritan that saved her, instead of a cop.

Oh my god, semantic police everywhere.

>> ^smooman:

what you didnt see is once they got her off the ledge they tasered her into submission =P


That wasn't the police... it was the doctors.

Way to go, statist idiots.

Totally disagree with your last sentence. IMHO, the less reason you have for doing something, like saving a life, the more heroic the action.

I DO agree that it doesn't have to be in a life threatening situation to bring out heroic action in someone. But I also think that a real hero is one that you never hear about. The ones that do heroic things without recognition or reward.

You shouldn't need a why to be a hero...

Not to lessen the magnitude of this cop's actions but, if it had been some average joe that had saved this woman's life, how much more press coverage would there have been? I have to agree with EMPIRE, I think the word "hero" is misused for this situation. He was doing his job. Cops are supposed to do this. Doctors save lives every day but, hero isn't the first word that comes to everyone's mind when they do. It's only heroic if you're not obligated to do it.


>> ^Lawdeedaw:

I think a hero can be more than a dangerous situation or accomplishments..
The man who works his fingers to the bone for his children and still has time to throw them around in the air like superman (That's to you dad.)
The woman who looks to an abusive husband and says, "Fuck you, I don't need you." (That's to you Mrs. Lawdeedaw--when she did that to her previous husband.)
The little girl who returns the penny to the man who dropped it because his mother gives 'that nod' to her. Then the man who smiles at her, and gives her a dollar for the effort.
We have sensationized 'hero' so much that few people are heroes at all. The Soldiers fighting the wars? Mecenaries. The cops? Same. It is why you do something that vastly outweights what you do.

It is a worthwhile opinion you have Opus.

But I don't think my last sentence was understood. "Reason" implies some gain, need, or selfish nature behind why someone does something. The cop get's paid. Sure. And if that's his sole reason--meh, he is not a hero. But why did he do it? If she fell, he would still have his job, pay, benefits, still get good reviews. When he fucks up once or twice in life he will still face the same punishment--regardless if hero or not...

Example of what I mean by "why."

I run into the street and nearly get hit by a car to save your child! Yay, I am a hero. But I throw your kid in the back of my van afterwards for nefarious purposes! Ewww, not so hero-ish now... But I saved his/her life, that's gotta count for something..

I know ^ sounds a bit on the sensationalized lines--but that is the area where my mind is when I say why. And it is almost impossible to explain, properly my point of view without an example.

>> ^Opus_Moderandi:

Totally disagree with your last sentence. IMHO, the less reason you have for doing something, like saving a life, the more heroic the action.
I DO agree that it doesn't have to be in a life threatening situation to bring out heroic action in someone. But I also think that a real hero is one that you never hear about. The ones that do heroic things without recognition or reward.
You shouldn't need a why to be a hero...
Not to lessen the magnitude of this cop's actions but, if it had been some average joe that had saved this woman's life, how much more press coverage would there have been? I have to agree with EMPIRE, I think the word "hero" is misused for this situation. He was doing his job. Cops are supposed to do this. Doctors save lives every day but, hero isn't the first word that comes to everyone's mind when they do. It's only heroic if you're not obligated to do it.

>> ^Lawdeedaw:
I think a hero can be more than a dangerous situation or accomplishments..
The man who works his fingers to the bone for his children and still has time to throw them around in the air like superman (That's to you dad.)
The woman who looks to an abusive husband and says, "Fuck you, I don't need you." (That's to you Mrs. Lawdeedaw--when she did that to her previous husband.)
The little girl who returns the penny to the man who dropped it because his mother gives 'that nod' to her. Then the man who smiles at her, and gives her a dollar for the effort.
We have sensationized 'hero' so much that few people are heroes at all. The Soldiers fighting the wars? Mecenaries. The cops? Same. It is why you do something that vastly outweights what you do.

>> ^Lawdeedaw:

It is a worthwhile opinion you have Opus.
But I don't think my last sentence was understood. "Reason" implies some gain, need, or selfish nature behind why someone does something. The cop get's paid. Sure. And if that's his sole reason--meh, he is not a hero. But why did he do it? If she fell, he would still have his job, pay, benefits, still get good reviews. When he fucks up once or twice in life he will still face the same punishment--regardless if hero or not...
Example of what I mean by "why."
I run into the street and nearly get hit by a car to save your child! Yay, I am a hero. But I throw your kid in the back of my van afterwards for nefarious purposes! Ewww, not so hero-ish now... But I saved his/her life, that's gotta count for something..
I know ^ sounds a bit on the sensationalized lines--but that is the area where my mind is when I say why. And it is almost impossible to explain, properly my point of view without an example.
>> ^Opus_Moderandi:
Totally disagree with your last sentence. IMHO, the less reason you have for doing something, like saving a life, the more heroic the action.
I DO agree that it doesn't have to be in a life threatening situation to bring out heroic action in someone. But I also think that a real hero is one that you never hear about. The ones that do heroic things without recognition or reward.
You shouldn't need a why to be a hero...
Not to lessen the magnitude of this cop's actions but, if it had been some average joe that had saved this woman's life, how much more press coverage would there have been? I have to agree with EMPIRE, I think the word "hero" is misused for this situation. He was doing his job. Cops are supposed to do this. Doctors save lives every day but, hero isn't the first word that comes to everyone's mind when they do. It's only heroic if you're not obligated to do it.

>> ^Lawdeedaw:
I think a hero can be more than a dangerous situation or accomplishments..
The man who works his fingers to the bone for his children and still has time to throw them around in the air like superman (That's to you dad.)
The woman who looks to an abusive husband and says, "Fuck you, I don't need you." (That's to you Mrs. Lawdeedaw--when she did that to her previous husband.)
The little girl who returns the penny to the man who dropped it because his mother gives 'that nod' to her. Then the man who smiles at her, and gives her a dollar for the effort.
We have sensationized 'hero' so much that few people are heroes at all. The Soldiers fighting the wars? Mecenaries. The cops? Same. It is why you do something that vastly outweights what you do.



I actually DO understand what you're saying and I also think you are sort of proving my point.

You're looking for a reason for him to be motivated to save her and if that reason is "nefarious" then he is not a hero. I'm saying having a reason at all makes him not a hero. The nature of his job obligates him to try and save her and THAT is his reason, To Protect and To Serve. He has to try and save her. His job overrides his personal motivation (as it should with every cop).

If she had fallen yes, he would still have his job but, he would have failed at it. Not sure about "good reviews" and he would probably have some guilt issues to work out.

I had this argument with a friend about altruism and being nice for no reason, which I said he never does. A few days after the discussion he said he had done this kindly, selfless act for someone. "See? I can be altruistic." he says. I said the very fact that he told someone about it negates the "kindness" of it because recognition was motivating him to do it.

If this cop had been off duty and just happened to be walking by, that would have made it an entirely different situation. It's the old argument "Is it better to have a reason for doing good than no reason at all?" IMO, it's the latter.

This is not to say there are no heroes in the police force. Or fire fighters, or doctors... But, is it more heroic if a cop saves a life (which they are trained to do and is their job) or just some average person does it (with no training and no connection to the life saved)?